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Avlys Wyvern
The Avlys are wyverns of the greater drake dragoform class. It's first mentioned in the Stranger of Memory book series. Appearance Distribution This species is commonly found in some of the northmost regions, but some have been found as far south as the lands of Milder North. Habitat preferences tend to lean towards bodies of water, most Avlys groups are often found close to the ocean as the location provides easier access to food sources. The closer to a large, open water source, the larger the count of Avlys there could be. Numbers among groups can vary depending on the time of year; however, the species itself is quite prominent in its regions of distribution and isn't considered threatened as a whole. Behavior Socialization Avlys are highly social dragons and often live within flocks of sometimes twenty individuals, but member count can vary as ties aren't restricted to one group. Young often leave their birth flock and join others and/or return with a mate and offspring to rear, which prevents inbreeding and offers genetic variation. Despite interchanging amongst each other, they form strong social bonds with one another. Female members form connections through group hunting and rearing, many times forming nurseries where they split from the males until the young are more independent and adapted. Males can also have connections with each other. It isn't uncommon for a young wyvern to have a "pair-bond" with another; most of these bonds can last many years or even an entire Avlys lifetime. Leadership in the flock is often made up of a dominant male and one or two elder wyverns, also commonly male. Though every member partakes in defense and teaching, these dragons ensure the flock's protection and the transfer of knowledge. Often the most experienced and commanding individuals retain the respect of the flock. Yet, Avlys still engage in aggressive acts towards each other. Juvenile males compete in ritualistic fights against their older counterparts, even teaming up to display dominance over the group leader. Teeth baring, direct eye contact, frill flaring, and headbutting are all signs of tension between members. Acts of aggression so severe against the elders may even cause the losing individual to leave the group in exile, no matter if it's the leader or challenger as they prove a liability to the collective function. Breeding and Life Cycle Avlys reach sexual maturity around between their fifteenth and twentieth year and often mate in the spring months when the weather is fairer. Because of their strong tendency to bond with each other, they are a monogamous dragon species. If their partner passes they will wait until they have finished mourning for their partner until they find another mate. Some never find another partner and are said to die of a broken heart. After mating, females split off and commune together to nest their eggs in heated caverns underground. Clutches are small, the maximum per one being three with one egg being most common. Eggs are whitish and oblong in shape, they're sized only as large as a football. The mothers incubate them over a period of three months before the wyrmlings hatch and are presented to their mates for the first time. Avlys wyrmlings sprout quickly in the first year of life. The young are lanky and awkward and, because their wings are too short to walk on like their adult counterparts, they rely on their back legs for locomotion. Males neck frills are nonexistent, and the only noticeable difference between the sexes is the back frills found on the males. Running and climbing are critical for limb development. Wyrmlings continue to steadily grow in height, length, and wingspan until their juvenile phase around their tenth year. At this age, offspring begin to master survival skills such as flying, hunting, and fighting. Sexes begin to diverge, male frill manes are clearly visible and start of height and weight differences from the females who are smaller, lighter, and sleeker. Both males and females are able to leave the flock once they are juveniles. Adolescent growth will begin to slow up until adulthood, following adulthood individuals may continue to grow throughout their life based on resources, space, and genetics. After the age of 100 years, Avlys are recognized as Asur for surviving to old age and reaching peak development for their species. It is an extremely rare growth stage for any dragon to reach. Most Avlys barely hit eighty years. Vocalization and Communication Similar to seals, dragons of this type make a large variety of vocals from chirps, whistles, trills, growls, grunts, and many more. Individuals have been known to have a signature trill pattern to identify each other and communicate from long distances. Vocalization is learned from an early age to strengthen bonds between members of the flock and stays pretty consistent through an Avlys' entire life. Some wyverns even have "dialect variations" depending on the region the wyvern was raised. While not as prevalent as their vocal communication, Avlys do have nonverbal cues. Their ear-like appendages and frills are a large part of displaying positive and negative emotions. Expressions can vary with a combination of verbal and nonverbal communication. Diet Intelligence Threats Trivia